Employee engagement is crucial for organizational success. According to research, engaged employees are 17% more productive and have 41% less absenteeism. Companies with high engagement also have 21% greater profitability.
But what drives engagement? Experts point to 5 key factors – the 5 C’s:
- Control
- Contribution
- Connection
- Culture
- Change
Understanding these 5 C’s can help managers boost engagement through tailored strategies and employee engagement solution. Let’s dive in.
Control
Employees want autonomy over their work – research shows that perceived control and empowerment are directly tied to engagement.
- Provide choice in tasks and projects.
- Offer flexibility in how and when work gets done
- Solicit employee input on decisions impacting their roles
- Give ownership over specific business outcomes
With the shift to remote work, control is even more vital. Ensure employees have the tools and trust to succeed independently.
“We all have a deep desire to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.” – Dan Pink, Drive.
Contribution
Employees need to feel their work has meaning and makes an impact. Contribution ties directly to engagement and motivation.
Strategies to drive contribution:
- Connect day-to-day tasks to company vision and values
- Recognize excellent work frequently
- Encourage employees to identify issues and own solutions
- Provide regular updates on team/company performance
Inbound marketing software with built-in analytics makes it easy to showcase employee impact on key metrics and reinforce contribution regularly.
Connection
Relationships drive engagement – employees with strong connections are more committed to their teams and organizations.
- Foster employee-manager trust and rapport
- Facilitate informal social interactions and team building
- Enable mentorship programs
- Host skip-level meetings to uncover issues
- Use digital employee experience platforms to maintain connections between on-site and remote staff.
Stimulating virtual water cooler chat and social channels creates space for human moments that are vital for engagement.
Culture
Culture is a key factor affecting many parts of the employee journey. Employees who feel aligned with company values are 4.6x more likely to be engaged.
Strategies for boosting cultural engagement:
- Clarify company values, making sure leaders model them
- Share stories highlighting values in action
- Make values central during onboarding
- Enable employees to give values-focused peer recognition
- Collect feedback regularly – a positive culture requires continuous listening
A strong culture clarifies decision-making at all levels, keeping engagement consistent despite disruption.
“Where all employees share purpose and values, you can ride out just about any storm.” – Simon Sinek.
Change
Today’s business environment evolves rapidly, amplified by events like the pandemic that necessitate overnight transformation. Change management is essential for engagement.
- Involve employees early in change initiatives.
- Provide transparency into reasons for change.
- Offer clear guidance on expectations
- Give frequent updates on progress
- Acknowledge losses openly – engage key stakeholders
Platforms with integrated communications facilitate reach and alignment across locations and roles during times of transition.
| Driver | Key Engagement Strategies |
| Control | Offer autonomy through empowerment, input opportunities, trust |
| Contribution | Connect work to vision/values, provide visibility into the impact |
| Connection | Build relationships/community, nurture culture fit |
| Culture | Clarify shared values, reinforce through stories and peer recognition |
| Change | Maximize transparency and engage stakeholders at all levels |
The 5 C’s don’t stand alone but intersect and influence one another. With concerted effort across all dimensions, engagement compounds, creating an environment where employees choose to turn up, speak up, go the extra mile, and drive business growth.
The key is matching strategies to people. Technologies like AI-powered employee engagement platforms enable hyper-personalization at scale, integrating analytics for precise measurement alongside calendars, recognition, 1-on-1s, and team conversations.
